1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to extended reach devices for use within a vehicle. More specifically, the present invention pertains to such devices which are useful for unlocking doors or opening/closing levers at remote parts of the vehicle from the operator.
2. Prior Art
Frequently, a vehicle driver will be the sole occupant, yet may need to lock or unlock a passenger door, raise or lower a window, or operate a push/pull lever such as a floor vent. If the driver has secured his seat belt it would be very inconvenient to make such adjustments. Without an extended reach device, the driver must remove the seat belt and shift his position to be within reach. This is particularly cumbersome in larger cab areas in vans, trucks or the like.
In response to this need, several extended reach devices have been developed. U.S. Pat. No. 3,819,221 by O'Connor illustrates an elongated bar which includes a slot at one end designed to laterally engage a door lock button. The bar is then twisted about its longitudinal axis in a manner to lift the head of the door lock button to an unlocked position. Similarly, the door may be locked by positioning a recess at an opposite end of the bar over the enlarged head of the button and pressing to engage the button into its locked position.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,656 of Veach illustrates an earlier embodiment which is operated in a similar manner. The structure of Veach utilizes a forked member which includes a slot sized to laterally engage the shank of the door lock button similar to the explanation given for O'Connor. Opposite the fork member was a flat head which was utilized to strike the button and drive it into its locked position. U.S. Pat. 3,764,175 discloses another embodiment of the fork configuration wherein the slot of the fork extends along the axis of the handle.
Each of these prior art structures, however, fails to operate in the environment of new automobiles having a headless, anti-theft configuration on the lock button. With the headless button, the slotted configuration of the representative prior art devices passes free of the knob without pulling it from its locked position. Furthermore, not all car models having door locks with heads will operate with the prior art slotted configuration. Chrysler products for example have unique requirements. What is needed, therefore, is a single extended reaching device which can engage a variety of lock knobs including headless lock knobs to be pulled to an unlocked condition.